Garment



Oct. 4, 1938.

R. M. KAPINAS GARMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR UTPH Oct, 4, 1938. R. M. KAPINAS GARMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INvEN-roH RUTH M. HAPINAS ATTORNEYfi Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,132,033 GARMENT Ruth M. Kapin'as, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Munsingwear, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn a corporation of Delaware ApplicationFebruary 4, 1935, Serial No. 4,904

3 Claims, (01. 2 36) The garment of the present invention is of the corset or girdle type of a construction now well known, namely of thattype which is made of so-called two-way stretch material. v

5 Garments of the type referred-to nowupon the market do not fully and satisfactorily perform their expected function of properly controlling the figure of the wearer in all ipostures. It is particularly noted that with suchgarments, when the wearer is sitting, the diaphragm and stomach are allowed to somewhat protrudeand thus spoil the fiat effect which is so highly desirable. In such posture or in any other posture similar thereto, the fact that the garment is made of material which stretches in both directions permits the rounding and projecting of the diaphragm and stomach out of the flat position desired. On the other hand, if the garment were not made of such stretchable material it will not be as comfortable as the wearer desires.

The particular object of my invention is t provide a garment of the character described which is made of stretchable material and which is provided with means for maintaining the diaphragm and stomach of the wearer fiat-in all usual postures of the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment of the character described with an inelastic insert adapted to cover the diaphragm and upper part of the stomach of the wearer, but

which does not extend to the top edge of the garment but leaves the top edge free to conform to the figure.

Other objects of the invention and the advantages thereof will more fully appear as the description proceeds.

In order to illustrate a practical embodiment of the invention, I have appended hereto drawings showing a practical construction of the garment. It is understood, however, that my invention is not limited to the details of construction shown in these drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principle of the invention is susceptible of embodiment in a variety of forms without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof and without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of the inside of a garment embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view similar to Figure 1 with the inelastic insert shown in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a detail front view showing the construction of the inelastic insert;

Figure 4 is a front view of the garment on the person; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the garment on a wearer in sitting posture and illustrating particularly the effect of the garment on the diaphragm and stomach.

Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral l0 indicates, in general, the body portion of the garment. As above indicated, the body portion may be made of the material now well known as two-way stretch material. However, any other suitable material maybe employed. Also, the garment may be made in the form of a single seamless tube or it may be made of several sections of material suitably secured together. It will be understood that so far as the general construction of the body of the garment is con cerned, this may be of any desired form.

The top edge of the garment is suitably bound by means of a tape 1 I extending therearound and which tape may be made of any suitable material, desirably elastic so that it, may conform to the stretching of the garment and not prevent such stretching.

On either side of the center line of the front of the garment may be provided suitable bones I2 of any desired material-secured to the body of the garment in any desired manner.

Reference numeral l3 indicates, generally, a relatively inelastic insert which is secured, as by stitching M, to the inside of the front of the garment. As will be seen from the drawings, this insert i3 is secured to the garment along its vertical edges and the bottom edge but is free therefrom at the top. This insert may be made of any woven material such as silk or satin or any other material suitable and desirable for the purpose. It will be noted that the insert does not extend to the very top edge of the garment but on the other hand, terminates a slight distance therebelow. To relieve the upper elastic area of the garment above the inelastic insert and the upper portions of the lines of stitching M of severe strain when pulling the garment onto the body, suitable tapes l5, preferably of elastic material, are shown loosely connecting the upper corners of the inelastic insert to the edge tape II. The tapes l5 serve to distribute a portion of the pulling strain exerted on the upper area of the garment, when pulling it on, to the insert I3 below the elastic upper area, and thus relieve the upper area and the stitching of excessive strains. As will be seen more particularly from Figure 3,

the vertical edges of the said inelastic insert l3 are'provided with bone pockets in which are housed suitable bones Hi. The material in construction of such bones may be any of those well known and generally used in garments of this general character.

Alongthe center line. of the garment and beneath the said inelastic insert I3, I have provided a longitudinally extending bone pocket l'l containing a bone l8. As will be seen from Figures 1 and 2, this bone is in no way connected with the inelastic insert I3, but the pocket I! loosely overlies the said bone. The bone l8 extends to the very top edge of the garment and is concealed by the tape H.

The foregoing, I believe, will make thenature' of my invention clear to those skilled in the art. The purpose of said inelastic insert I3 is to'maintain the diaphragm and upper stomach of the wearer flat by preventing the transverse or horizontal stretching of the garment. Moreover, the provision of the bones in the pockets l4 along the edge of the insert will serve to make this part of the garment vertically semi-rigid. 'With only the center bone l8 extending to the edge of the garment, the transverse or circumferential stretching of the top edge of the garment is permitted. As will be seen more particularly from an inspection ofFigure 5, the said center bone I8 extends upwardly into the flat space between the'breasts of the wearer but does not prevent a slight forward as well as transverse bending of the garment, r

Figure 5 shows the effect of my construction upon the figure of the wearer when in sitting posture. By this construction, it will-be seen that the diaphragm and stomachof the wearer are maintained flat, thus accomplishing the very desirable object of garments of this general type.

I claim as my invention: 1

1. A garment of the character described comprising a body portion of elastic material, a diaphragm engaging insert of inelastic fabric at the center of the front of said body portion and terminating short of the top edge thereof, and being bordered above by an area of elastic material of the body'portion, means loosely connecting said insert to the top of the garment, and a bone secured to the center of the body portion under said inelastic insert and extending upwardly through said area of the body portion to the top edge of the garment.

2. A garment of the character described comprising a tubular body portion of elastic fabric, a diaphragm engaging reinforcing panel of relatively inelastic fabric extending lengthwise of the front of the garment, said panel being secured thereto at its opposite side edges along vertical lines located between the front center line and the respective side areas of the garment and being bordered on each side by elastic areas of the body portion, the reinforcing panel terminating short of the top of the garmentand being bordered aboveby an elastic fabric areaiof the body portion adapted to engage the region immediately below the busts, said panel terminating short of the lower end of the garment and being bordered below by a hip engaging elastic tubular area of ing but free of connection with the reinforcing panel secured tothe body portion at its front center line, said center bone having an upper portion extending upwardly above the reinforcing panel through the elastic upper area of the body portion to the top of the garment and being adapted to engage the region between theebusts of the wearer, said center bone'atitslower end terminatingshort of the'lower end aof =the gar ment and being. bordered below: by. the. elastic tubular hip engaging area of the .bodyportion.

3. Agarment of the character described coniprising a seamless tubular body portion of elastic fabric, a diaphragm engaging reinforcing panel of relatively inelastic fabric; providing an additional thickness of material in the diaphragm area of the body portion, saidreinforcing panel being secured alongv its opposite side edges .to, the

front of the-body portion and being bordered at each side, edge by an elastic area of thebody portion, the reinforcing, panelterminating short of the top of the garment and being bordered above by an elastic fabric area of the body portion adapted to engage the region of the wearerimmediately below the busts, said-panel terminating short of the lower area of the garment and being bordered below by a wide-elastic tubular 'hip engaging area of thebody portion, a pair 

